Guilin Transportation Guide

By plane :
Flying is the most convenient way to arrive in and depart from Guilin. The city is directly connected to most major domestic cities and even Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea.

Guilin's new international airport is 30 kilometers west of the city (about a 40 minute taxi ride). Most large hotels have shuttles available (with prior notice). Other airport shuttles cost RMB20 and operate without a fixed schedule. A taxi into the city will cost around RMB80-RMB100. Leaving Guilin, CAAC runs buses from its Shanghai Road office (at Minzhu Road) to the airport.

By train :
Guilin is directly linked to Beijing (30 hours), Guangzhou (15 hours), Guiyang (18 hours), Kunming (28 hours), Shanghai (35 hours), and Xi'an (35 hours). Trains from Kunming and points west arrive and depart from the new Railway Station in Northern Guilin, while trains from all points north arrive and depart from the older Railway Station in the west of Guilin.

Train tickets can be hard to come by in Guilin as this is the most visited tourist destination in China. It is best to buy your tickets several days before you plan to leave the city.

By bus :
Most short range buses (to Yangshuo and Xing'an) leave from the old railway station in the west. These buses should be relatively inexpensive (RMB10-20 to Yangshuo). Long distance buses leave from the Long Distance Bus Station on Zhongshan Road near the Taihe Hotel. By long distance bus, you can reach Guangzhou, Nanning, and other Southern cities and regional cities in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.

By Boat :
Taking minibuses to Yangshuo aside, the most popular way to get from Guilin to Yangshuo is by taking a tour down the Lijiang River. Boat tickets can be bought through your hotel or at the ticket office on Binjiang Road near the Lijiang River and south of Fir Lake. The boats leave in the early morning at about 8 or 8:30 am, but hotel shuttles to the dock typically leave at 7:30am. In winter, when the river water level is low, shuttles are sometimes used to take boat passengers down the river to deeper sections closer to Yangshuo. Tickets for the Lijiang Boat ride to Yangshuo cost around RMB350-RMB500 and can include a bus ride back from Yangshuo to Guilin.

City transport :
The best way to get around in Guilin is either by taxi or bicycle. Taxis are relatively inexpensive compared to other cities. Bicycles can be rented by the day at hotels throughout Guilin and at many cafes and hostels in Yangshuo for a maximum of RMB15-20 in Guilin (with a deposit of around RMB200) and RMB10 in Yangshuo. Try to refrain from giving your passport as deposit on the bicycle. While good for getting you around for little money, note that during hot summer days in Guilin, taking a bus can be quite uncomfortable. In Yangshuo, city buses aren't really needed and you can get around by taxi, three wheeled motor vehicle, or bicycle (the most popular option).